The trailer for the second live-action GANTZ film adaptation has gone live on the official website. It promises to be more nihilistic and explosive than ever. Check out the first preview after the break.

If you aren’t aware of the original premise, here is the synopsis:

The last thing Kei remembers is the train running over his body. Now he is in a room filled with strangers, all resurrected by the featureless black sphere known only as the Gantz. But their reprieve from death may only be temporary, for unless they undertake the brutal missions that the Gantz assigns, all of them will die again.

Intriguing, right? Leading actor Kenichi Matsuyama has indicated that the second movie will deviate from the original manga’s ongoing storyline and feature an entirely new ending. The summary for GANTZ: Part II: Perfect Answer is as follows (warning, spoilers):

In the sequel (which was preceded, of course, by both Manga and Anime versions of GANTZ) Kei Kurono (played by Kazunari Ninomiya) works with other players involved with Gantz to revive those who died during the first film. Although details of the film are shrouded in mystery, we can clearly see that Kato Masaru, (Kenichi Matsuyama), will return as well as a bunch of new antagonists. GANTZ is losing energy and it appears Tae Kojima, (Yuriko Yoshitaka), is a target for the next mission. Kei Kurono is now torn between saving the girl he loves or completing the final mission of GANTZ.

I’ve not seen the first movie, though I have read a good chunk of the manga. The story has received criticism for its nihilistic violence and suspect gender politics. I do like that — like the comic property The Walking Dead — the show is willing to seriously take up the notion that no one is safe. That’s a bold risk for any series to take, both commercially and emotionally.

The film will be released in Japan’s theaters on April 23, 2011.

(via alafista and FilmBook)

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